


The White Crow

by Codango



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Hidden Talents, Motherhood, Protectiveness, Secrets, Understanding, Youkai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 16:19:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14674821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Codango/pseuds/Codango
Summary: It wasn’t that Touko hadn’t paid attention to Takashi before. She had always noted every scrape, every fever, every unexplained absence. It was just that he was always the picture of abject apology at every turn; she usually found herself reassuring him that all was forgiven, she just wanted him safe, that was all, really now, Takashi-kun, just be careful please…But the next time his friends brought him home from school with glassy eyes and sweat on his pallid face, she found herself thinking of a white crow she’d never seen.





	The White Crow

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by S5Ep10

It was the white crow that started it. When Takashi mentioned that her friendly black crow was seated next to a gorgeous white mate, shock snaked up Touko’s spine. _Oh_ , she thought as she watched his eyes track something invisible flying across the sky. _Oh._ Those eyes were less empty these days, but...

She tried to pick out gleaming white feathers in the blue sky. All she could see was the bent tail of the old black crow who would visit her on occasion. Touko glanced at Takashi once more. He continued to watch the sky, the wind bringing color to his pale cheeks, his sandy hair brushing against the contented smile on his face.

 _A white crow, then._ Touko turned her gaze back to the fading silhouette she could see. _Well, well._ It was more of a relief than she would have expected to know that her old friend wasn’t alone after all.

After Takashi went upstairs to do his homework, Touko very nearly mentioned the white crow to her husband. Shigeru had settled with some papers at the kitchen table while she cleaned after dinner, and they would usually chat about the small things that had happened during their days.

But somehow she only mentioned the black crow.

“Ah, your old friend is still coming around?” Shigeru asked, sweetly interested.

“Yes.” Touko smiled and turned back to saving the leftover rice. “Isn’t that nice?”

It wasn’t that Touko hadn’t paid attention to Takashi before. She had always noted every scrape, every fever, every unexplained absence. It was just that he was always the picture of abject apology at every turn; she usually found herself reassuring him that all was forgiven, she just wanted him safe, that was all, really now, Takashi-kun, just be careful please…

But the next time his friends brought him home from school with glassy eyes and sweat on his pallid face, she found herself thinking of a white crow she’d never seen.

“It’s nothing, Touko-san,” he said, like always. “I studied too hard last night—”

“He collapsed while he was putting on his shoes to come home!” Nishimura broke in, slightly panicked. “He was fine all day!” The brunette was the wildest of Takashi’s friends, but he felt his friends’ hurts deeply, Touko was certain of it.

“Nishimura,” Takashi protested weakly.

“Well, you can’t blame your friends for watching out for you,” Touko scolded, “not when you refuse to tell me things.” She thanked the boys at the door, promised them she’d make him rest, and led Takashi to the bath.

Would he have told her about the white crow, she wondered, if he’d known she couldn’t see it?

A month later, all of Takashi’s left shoes went missing at once. You might have thought Takashi had murdered someone, he was that distraught at breakfast. Apologizing up and down for being careless with the things they’d bought him, swearing he’d pay for his next pair of shoes…

Shigeru had shut that down quickly, Touko was pleased to note. But he sent Takashi into a panic when he said that he was going to make a stern phone call to the school to talk about such inexcusable bullying.

“Please don’t call the school, Shigeru-san, please!” Takashi clenched his chopsticks so hard that Touko expected them to snap at any moment. “I—I’m sure it’s just my friends, I’ll speak to them, please don’t involve yourself—!”

Shigeru took over the role of calming the boy while Touko stayed quiet and watched and thought.

After Takashi and Shigeru left the house that morning to go about their days, Touko stood in the open doorway for several minutes. Takashi’s enormous cat sat at her side.

If the white crow was a mate to the black crow, then that would suggest that animals could see…well, whatever it was Takashi saw that she could not.

Touko narrowed her eyes at the calico cat at her feet. “Nyaangoro,” she said.

He looked up at her with an inquiring yowl.

“Letting his shoes get taken?” she said in her best _I expect better_ tone. “Whatever it was, it needs to not come back, understand?”

The yowl sounded a great deal more confused this time.

She turned on her heel and went into the house to sort the laundry, telling herself she’d done nothing more unusual than speak aloud to a house cat. Everyone did that.

Things were quite peaceful for a few months. Then one night, when Shigeru and Touko were expected at an important dinner for his work, the clouds dropped low in the sky, and a gray, depressing gloom settled over the evening. A thick, uneven fog hung at the front gate, obscuring the street beyond.

Touko halted on her way to the bathroom to fix her hair. Takashi had come down from studying in his bedroom. He was standing at the front window, staring out at the fog. Hands clasped behind him. Jaw set.

A shiver raced up her spine. Whatever those eyes of his were seeing, Touko doubted very much it was as beautiful as the white crow.

“Takashi-kun?” Shigeru appeared at her side. “Everything all right?”

Takashi startled and turned just enough to look at them. “Ah, yes, I was…just feeling restless.”

Touko glanced down at the cat. Green eyes met hers in a flat stare.

“This, this dinner,” Takashi said haltingly. “It’s very important?”

Shigeru paused in the midst of fidgeting with his tie. He never wore a tie if he could at all help it. “It’s an annual awards banquet. It’s quite prestigious, yes.” He cocked his head. “Did you want to go? I’m so sorry, I should have asked, we could probably call in a request—”

“No! No.” Takashi lowered a hand that seemed to have shot out involuntarily. “No, I just…” He glanced out the window again. The streetlights were coming on, highlighting the gloomy fog hovering over the ground. “I just thought it would be nice to have a quiet night at home with everyone.” Takashi smiled.

Touko knew that smile. He had never grown out of it. She saw it less often these days, but she knew what it meant. Lies. Hidden worries. Half truths.

“Ah, Takashi-kun, I wish we could,” Shigeru said regretfully. “But that does sound nice. Next Friday, what’s everyone doing?” He looked at her. “What if we—?”

Nyaangoro got up from his place at Takashi’s feet. Hardly a compelling figure, he nevertheless captured their attention easily. He waddled over to the genkan and sat down on the dress shoes Shigeru had set out by the door for the evening. He stared at them with what Touko could only describe as defiance.

“Here, now, Nyaangoro—” Shigeru began, surprised.

Touko laughed. She hoped it was a better show than one of Takashi’s smiles. “Shigeru-san, the lord of the house has spoken. We’re staying in tonight.”

“Touko-san!” Shigeru’s mouth gaped. “I…you want to stay home?”

She strove for a nonchalant shrug. “The weather looks terrible. And my hair isn’t cooperating at all.”

“But.” He glanced from her to Takashi to the cat and back to her again. “But we never go out like this. I thought…I thought you liked it? The dressing up and the fancy dinner and all that.”

Touko raised both eyebrows. “We’re going to your work event for my sake?”

“Well.” Shigeru rubbed the back of his neck and, dear heaven, the man blushed. “Well, I don’t take you out often enough, and…and I thought you liked these.”

Touko’s laugh was more genuine this time. “Maybe you should take me and Takashi-kun to the aquarium instead.”

“Now?” Shigeru glanced down at his suit. “Won’t they be closed soon?”

“Not now,” Touko said firmly. She walked up to the front window, pulled the blinds shut, and looped her arm through Takashi’s. “Now we’re going to have hot pot and play games. And maybe I’ll have a beer with you.” She let her eyes twinkle at the sweet man who was still coping with having his night turned upside down.

“A beer? Touko-san!”

“I said _maybe_. Come, Takashi-kun.” She tugged at the boy’s arm. “Go wash your hands. You’re helping me in the kitchen.”

“Oh. Yes! Yes, of course.” His relief was palpable, and he headed for the kitchen immediately.

“Not before you help me out of this tie!” Shigeru hurried after him. “I think I’ve knotted it…”

Touko waited until they were out of sight and their voices were little more than murmurs. She walked back to the window and pushed the blinds aside. A slow rain was falling. It did nothing to dissipate the fog undulating in the orange glow of the streetlamp. "Stay outside," she whispered.

Warm fur brushed her ankles.

“Are they ghosts?” she asked. “What he sees?”

The cat sat back on his haunches and looked up at her.

“You are lucky,” she said, dropping the blinds back in place, “that you have an excuse to not tell me what you know.” She turned to head into the kitchen.

The blinds rattled. A glance over her shoulder told her what she already knew—the fat calico cat was in the windowsill, staring out at the fog.

Touko went to help her family put together their impromptu supper. It was odd that a cat in a window would bring her such peace, but she felt she was coming to terms with oddness.

**Author's Note:**

> Look, all I know is, I sat down to write in one of two OTHER fics I've got going right now, and this came out. I don't even know who's in control anymore. I'm losing conviction that it's me.
> 
> I'm [@codango](http://codango.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, but while it reinvents itself, you can find me on my website: [marcellachristie.com](http://marcellachristie.com/). It'll lead you to my Twitter, etc.


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